Page 50 of Deathless & Divided

So that was how he knew.

“I do,” Lily admitted. “I was able to see a couple in Europe, too. They were amazing.”

“I bet.”

Lily sighed, sitting back in the plush chair and folding her hands on her lap. “Thank you for bringing me.”

Damian mimicked her position, except his arm stretched over the back of her chair. “Don’t ever thank me for that, sweetheart.”

Silence covered the balcony, blanketing Lily in a sense of comfort and awkwardness all at the same time. She wasn’t even sure how that was possible. From her peripherals, Damian’s gaze caught hers and he held it. The man didn’t blink and he didn’t even look like he was breathing.

No, he just watched her.

Something warm bloomed in her chest under his heavy regard. It was as if he seemed to get some kind of pleasure from simply watching her. Lily realized then that Damian had no other reason to bring her to the ballet other than to spend time with her and to make her happy with something she enjoyed.

But why?

We don’t have to be strangers.

We don’t have to hate one another.

“What?” Lily asked softly.

“I like it better when you’re smiling at me and not glaring,” Damian said.

“I’m trying.”

“I’m grateful.” His murmur washed over her skin like a slow wave. It slipped over every inch of her exposed skin like her nerves were open for his attention. Lily didn’t have the first clue why Damian had such an odd effect on her. “And you do look beautiful, Lily. Beautiful things should be admired. Let me admire in peace.”

When he said things like that, she found it difficult to gage his intentions. What she did know, was that he clearly liked the influence he had on her. Damian’s grin turned almost satisfactory in nature as his gaze darkened.

“I thought you said you weren’t going to seduce me, Damian?”

Damian’s expression didn’t flicker as he said, “I’m not.”

“Oh, really?”

Why else would a man shower a woman in compliments, take her out to do things she enjoyed, and watch her like she was a precious jewel that might be stolen away at any moment?

“No,” Damian said with a shake of his head.

Those steel-blue eyes of his never wavered from Lily’s direction.

“If not that, then what are you doing?” she asked.

Damian chuckled. “Keeping my promise, dolcezza.”

Which one was that?

“Rossi table,” Damian said. “Damian and guest. Party was undetermined last I knew.”

The woman behind the podium nodded once and waved the couple back. Damian’s hand found the small of Lily’s back as they were led through the restaurant without a word, passing by several tables of well-dressed patrons. The woman veered to the right, taking them into a private section with wide wall-to-wall windows with a view of the quiet street at the side of the restaurant.

“Damian Rossi and his guest,” the woman said with a wave at Lily and her companion. She turned on her high black heels and disappeared back into the common dining area without so much as a smile.

Lily quickly took note of the people sitting at a long table. Several tables must have been pushed together for the meal as it looked more like a board meeting than a private dinner. Lily’s uncle Ben sat alongside Terrance Trentini. Laurent Rossi and his wife Serena sat across from the Outfit boss with Tommas at his father’s side. Lily hadn’t expected to see the Trentini sisters at the dinner, but both Abriella and Alessa sat in their respective chairs beside their mother and father on their grandfather’s side of the table. Joel, Abriella and Alessa’s brother, sipped from a glass of wine beside his father. Even the front boss for the Outfit was there, Riley Conti and his wife Mia as was Evelina and Adriano.

Considering the highest members of the Outfit had been invited to the dinner along with their family members, Lily had to wonder if this was more than just a regular meal. The table was empty of food, but everybody had a glass of something to drink.